Valley of tales

Itinerary name: Valley of tales
Day-by-day program:

Day 1: Bishkek
Upon your arrival at the airport of Manas, you will be greeted by your tour guide and accompanied to the capital city of Bishkek. It takes around 30 minutes to get to Bishkek from the airport. The day will fully be devoted to exploring the city. You will have a guided tour of the city which includes visiting Pobeda Square (Victory Square), Dubovoy Park (Oak Park), Central Ala-Too Square, the National Arts Museum, National Philharmonic, and many other interesting places. No tour in the city goes without visiting Osh Bazaar. It is one of the biggest and colorful markets in the country. You can find everything in this bazaar: food, clothing, household goods, textiles, souvenirs and even a cattle market. The night is in the hotel

Day 2: Bishkek – Alamedin gorge – Bishkek
The highlight of the day will be the gorgeous Alamedin gorge which travellers enjoy a lot. The gorge is the closest one to the city and is perfect to get immersed in the beauty of nature and leave behind all the worries and concerns. The mountains are covered by pine and fir trees. The river of Alamedin flows along the gorge. In 5 km from the end of the road there is a waterfall to which we will hike. Next to the waterfall you will have a nice picnic after which we will head back to the city. The night is in the hotel.

Day 3: Bishkek – Burana – Chon Kemin
Our final destination of the day is the Chon-Kemin valley to continue your travelling. On our way to this valley we will stop at the tower of Burana. It is one of the most famous architectural sites in the country. It dates back to the 11th century and belongs to the era of Karakhanids. Tower used to stand as a minaret next to the mosque in the city of Balasagun. Which was one of the most important cities along the Great Silk Road. Archeological findings from this area that are stored in the museum next to the tower point at the fact that this was a place that hosted many different cultures and people from all over the world. You can also see the open-air museum that has a small collection of balbals. Afterwards we continue our way to Chon-Kemin. After lunch you will have a horse riding session for 3 hours. The route goes through beautiful mountains with mountain forest that surrounds the valley. The night is in a home stay.

Day 4: Chon Kemin – Rafting – Kochkor
After breakfast we will drive to the banks of the Chuy river. The river is really famous among people who are big fans of rafting. And rafting is exactly what we are after on this day. Our professional will thoroughly explain every detail for you to be safe and have an enjoyable experience. Even beginners will get most out of this experience. Afterwards, we head to the village of Kochkor. In this village you will get to see the ancient production process of felt carpets. Felt carpets produced in Kochkor are very famous throughout the country and beyond. Moreover, you will get a chance to take part in the process and create an artwork out of felt on your own. Finally, we will go to a small museum that features many handicraft items. The night is in a homestay.

Day 5: Kochkor – Issyk Kul southern shore – Jeti Oguz
Early in the morning we will start driving towards one of the most beautiful places in the country, to the province of Issyk-Kul. In a short hour you will get to see the celestial lake of Issyk-Kul which is called to be ‘Pearl of Central Asia’. It is the second largest saline lake in the world. The salinity of the lake allows the freezing temperature to drop and that is where the name of the lake comes from: ‘hot or warm’ lake reflecting the fact that it does not freeze over even during the coldest winters. On a halfway to the Jeti-Oguz gorge we will have a stop at the village of Bokonbaevo where you will get to meet a real eagle hunter. No, eagles are not the subject of hunting but rather a tool used to hunt other animals like hares, foxes and so on. Then we continue our way to the beautiful gorge of Jeti-Oguz. The overnight stay is in yurts.

Day 6: Jeti Oguz – Jyrgalan
You will have the first half of the day to enjoy your time and have a rest in a picturesque gorge. After lunch we will be driving to the valley of Jyrgalan. Jyrgalan valley has a pristine beauty that is rare to be found in this world. Snow-capped mountain tops are visible from a distance even during the hottest summers. Thick green forests and colorful wildflowers cover the valley from the beginning to the end. 

Day 7: Jyrgalan – Karakol
You are to enjoy your free time till afternoon. After lunch we will start driving towards the beautiful city of Karakol. The city is remarkable for its unique history. It became home to many people like chinese dungans, russian troops, and kyrgyz people. You will get to see Dungan mosque which is unique for the fact that it was built in Chinese style and with no use of a single nail. The next stop will be at Orthidix Church of Holy Trinity which is as old as the city itself. Last but not least we will visit the museum dedicated to the world’s great explorer M.V. Prejvalsky. The night will be in a hotel.

Day 8: Karakol – Issyk Kul northern shore – Bishkek
Early in the morning we will start driving to the capital city of Bishkek. It goes along the northern shore of the lake. Along the way we will stop to visit the open air museum which has a great collection of more than 2000 petroglyphs. Petroglyphs are essentially stone carvings that were completed in 800 BC by shamans in the area who thought this place to be the center of the world. At the place where the museum is located you will also get an amazing view of the lake. Then we continue our way to Bishkek. The overnight stay is in a hotel.

Day 9: Bishkek – Airport
Transfer to the airport.